Safe Place to Land
by AriandEzra
Summary: While she assumed finding -A would give ultimate relief, Aria Montgomery begins to shatter with the impact of their discovery and Maya's death. She begins to change and not for the better. And Ezra Fitz is the only person who can piece her back together.
1. Prologue

**Can I just say that I totally called who -A was at rehearsal. I had a feeling they'd trick us. To be honest, I'm really happy it's not Ezra and he and Aria are safe. As long as it's not him, I'll be satisfied with whoever -A is.**

**Their scenes last night made me bawl, squeal, and just...fangirl. Absolutely beautiful.**

**I read in an interview that Ezra becomes Aria's rock and safe place, so that's pretty much this story. She's scarred by Mona's reveal and Maya's death and closes herself up. It's up to Ezra to bring back the Aria he knows.**

**I OWN NOTHING.**

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><p><em>~Prologue~<em>

Two days. That's as long as it took for Aria's entire world to shift completely off course. Even with the mystery of -A being resolved and Mona being shipped off to some far away psychiatric ward, seeing Maya's body bag tipped her off the edge of no return and into an abyss of nightmares; pitch black nightmares that she couldn't push away with the thought of something happy. The one person she needed was still up at his parents, but was supposedly coming back to Rosewood soon.

Maya's death meant it wasn't over. Mona might have been gone and locked up, but a killer was still out there. And they were a killer with the girls in mind. Why else would they have hurt someone so close to Emily? Who would be next to have their heart shattered? Aria gulped back the large knot in her tense throat and pushed a stray piece of hair from her face.

Mona was put away, but someone was still lurking. That much Aria had come to realize. Spencer and the others were rejoicing that their torture was over and at the discovery, Aria had celebrated too. But, something deep inside her knew it wasn't over. Or at least, some scarred part of her was petrified that it wasn't over; speculating.

It was a Monday morning as she sat in her sweats that she'd barely changed out of. Her skin felt grimy, but Aria couldn't bring herself to get out of bed. She thought she'd be relieved at finding out -A's identity, but the truth did the complete opposite. Aria was afraid that someone wanting revenge for figuring everything out would pop out towards her from every shadow in her house.

The clock on Aria's bedside table read 5 A.M. She curled up in fetal position with her head in her hands, trying to stop the tears that were flowing from the recent nightmare. It had been worse than the others and amplified because of her phone call with Ezra the night before. Instead of Maya in that black bag, it had been Ezra. The dreams hadn't gotten to this extent until now.

Her entire body ached to have him near and for his arms to wrap her small frame and console her. Aria was withering away and the only person that could save her wasn't here.

A loud sob ripped from her chest, waking up Ella who clambered out of bed quickly to see what could be wrong. Aria's mother knew something was going on and especially knew how marked her daughter had been by seeing a dead body, but nothing Ella could do would be able to make it better.

Well, there was one thing. But she hadn't worked up enough courage to bring herself to that conclusion.

"Aria, Sweetheart, are you okay?" The always comforting voice of her mother made Aria's head perk up the slightest, tear streams staining her cheeks. Ella took in the sight of her, and a pang shot through her chest; her little girl was falling apart. And a big part of it was what she'd been doing to prevent Aria from getting the care and protection she needed by sending Ezra away.

Aria shook her head, a few more tears falling as she wiped them away with the back of her head. She was getting irritated of putting up a front every five seconds and trying to remain strong. Aria needed someone to be strong for her and be able to pick her up with the chips completely combusted.

"I-I need him, Mom," she cried, burying her head once more into her lap. Aria's chest convulsed with each sob, the white Hollis tee shirt she'd stolen from Ezra's closet straining against her back with each hiccup. The bedspread was was tightly wound around around her body, seeking warmth from the perpetual chill.

Aria had cracked. It brought tears to Ella's eyes to see her this broken and part of her felt responsible for the downward spiral. Biting her lip and fighting back her own set of tears, Ella walked towards her daughter on the bed and reached out her hand.

"May I have your phone, Sweetheart?"

Aria's face contorted to confusion and shock, but she was far too tired to protest. She exhaustively surrendered the mobile device to her mother. Ella opened up the contacts and searched until she came across the one number she was looking for.

Raising the phone to her ear, Ella waited until Ezra Fitz's voice sounded on the other end.

"Aria," he said loud enough for the girl to hear through the small speaker. Aria's head bobbed up and her heart lurched, wanting to talk to him.

"No, Ezra. This is Ella. You're going to need to come back to Rosewood. Now," she said sternly, not wanting to let her emotions get the best of her. Keeping her voice level, Ella continued to speak. "She needs you."


	2. Chapter 1

**Wow! You guys are amazing! Over twenty reviews and that was only the prologue. I have a really good feeling about this story. It's a busy week, but A Little Romance and I Know You will be updated soon!**

**There isn't much of a note, but I really can't thank you all enough for the reviews!**

**I DON'T OWN ANYTHING.**

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><p><em>~Chapter 1~<em>

In only the matter of a few weeks, Ezra's life had rolled itself into one huge ball of confusion and disorder. One moment he was a Hollis college professor with a flexible teaching schedule. The next he was fired. Then his travels took Ezra upstate to New York City to stay with his father. And now his journey was heading back towards Rosewood. Ezra was grateful that he hadn't put his apartment on the market the minute he left.

Going back to his roots in the apartment he spent majority of his childhood hadn't been something Ezra wanted to do willingly. Leaving Aria wasn't something he'd do on his own accord. But her father shoved a wedge in that by getting him fired. Byron had hoped it would keep Ezra away; far, far away. But no matter how hard Ezra tried, he couldn't stay away from her.

The night he returned to surprise Aria at the masquerade had been one of his favorites purely for the fact that Ezra had finally stomached up enough courage to show the world that Aria was his. He was well aware though that things had gone down that night from Aria's phone calls.

But Ella's call was the last thing Ezra had ever expected. He didn't think that he'd ever speak to the Montgomery's besides Aria ever again. Ella's voice had sounded stern, but pleading. It wasn't her tone that was sending him back. It was that Aria needed him; maybe even a bit more than Ezra needed her.

Ezra's old room had been preserved over the years. Dark blue, almost black walls with posters for old films he loved and dusty novels that he collected. It was practically his apartment, even in size, but minus all his possessions from his world travels during college or summer vacations. Ezra had always been an old soul, as was Aria.

The ample amount of clothing he had stuffed into a large leather suitcase had gone from being strewn across the floor in Ezra's normal fashion to being packed up tightly with the clamps and buckles about to burst. He was afraid that the pressure from the airplane would make his entire case explode. The books Ezra wasn't worried about; they were stowed in his carry-on.

"She must be some girl if you're flying back and forth, never knowing where you're going to land," said the voice of his father, Joseph, from the doorway. Ezra was the spitting image of his father, minus the graying hair. And his nose was more upturned than the older man's.

Joseph had always been wise, almost all knowing. When Ezra was younger, he thought his father was somewhat of an oracle; he always had an answer for everything and it was usually right. Any rough spots Ezra had to endure, regardless of age, his father was there with guiding advice. Right now was one of those rough spots.

"Go to her, Son. You need her and she needs you." Ezra felt a light pat on his back and a small smile crept up onto his lips. It was the first time he had smiled since being at the ball with Aria.

"I'll bring her up sometime, Dad," he smiled, grasping the handle of his suitcase. With diligent care, Ezra made sure that the sudden movement wouldn't jostle the locks and have everything spill out. Joseph chuckled as his son bit her lip, trying to maneuver himself around.

"I'll hold you to it," his dad laughed, following Ezra out of the room.

Ezra had forgotten what it felt like to live in the city. Although he was used to living in a tiny studio, Rosewood wasn't a city. It was a suburb where he just happened to live in a more central area far away from the rows of houses with white picket fences. He missed the hustle and bustle, but that fast paced lifestyle was nothing to him if Aria couldn't stand beside him with her hand held tightly in his.

With a few goodbyes and promises to call, Ezra left his dad's apartment in search of a taxi. It didn't take him more than a few minutes to tag one day; it was abnormally slow that Monday evening. The ride to the airport was filled with silence except for the buzzing of the small TV monitor in the passenger area. Ezra was left alone with his thoughts, dwelling on Aria and her family.

Would this make Byron see how much they needed one another? Surely, whatever was happening with Aria had brought Ella around, but could the same happen with her the eldest Montgomery man?

Ezra hated times like this where there wasn't anything in his reach to record down his feelings. He'd much rather write everything down and spin it into some sort of story than let the thoughts bounce around in his head, ricocheting off the walls of his brain. He wasn't an upfront type of guy, but now was a good time to practice. Ezra let each thought rattle itself off, confronting them. He wasn't going to hide any longer and that would go into effect the minute he landed in Rosewood.

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><p>"Ella, you can't be serious," shouted the angry Byron across the rustic looking kitchen. His face was tinged red and saturated with rage. Just when he thought he'd be getting his way, everything was backfiring. Byron hadn't been too observant of his daughter though, unlike his wife.<p>

Ella saw how much Aria needed Ezra to keep her sane and grounded, and now, possibly open her back up again. She saw past the age gap now and the student/teacher aspect when her daughter broke down after speaking with Ezra after Ella told him to come home. She'd handed the phone to Aria and she collapsed into tears. The speaker had been loud enough to hear Ezra's tense voice as well.

But Byron still saw him as a monster; something that Ella was determined to change now. "I'm serious," she retorted, once more using all strength to maintain her composure. With gritted teeth, she turned towards her husband. "You have no idea how much she needs him. Have you noticed our daughter in the past few days after everything happened?"

Byron looked at Ella, almost dropping the plate that lay in his hands from dinner. "Has he brainwashed you too? Aria is enough of a problem regarding that. I don't need you to start acting that way too."

"Obviously, you haven't been watching your daughter," Ella scoffed. "Do you notice how she doesn't come down from dinner? Or that she wakes up screaming in the middle of the night; sometimes a blind shrill and others crying for Ezra? Whatever happened when they found that St. Germain girls body and Mona being locked up is tormenting her. And we took away the only person that brought Aria to life when things were getting hard. She _needs_ him, Byron. And I'm beginning to think that there's a lot more to their relationship than what you think there is."

The plate in Byron's hands shattered into bits on the floor. His hands had gone slack, thus letting the porcelain dish slip from his grasp. His mouth was formed into an 'O', but his eyes were filled with pure anger. Wordlessly, he fled the room and was out the door. Byron wasn't in the mood to say a word.

Exasperatedly, Ella leaned against the counter with a hand pressed against her forehead. She could feel a headache beginning to arouse itself from the deep confines of her head. The last thing she wanted was the high pitched noise of the doorbell to irritate it even more, but there was that small ping, signifying someone's arrival.

Knowing exactly who it would be, Ella's stomached flipped nervously. Her heels clacked cautiously against the hardwood floor. Once the big oak doors were open, there stood a bedraggled Ezra Fitz. He ran a hand through his hair as a thunderstorm broke out over head from the slowly forming cloud cover.

Ezra was exhausted and was pretty sure his entire demeanor and the way he presented himself made it clear at how he was feeling. But, Aria was only a staircase away rather than a good couple of states. He wasn't going to sacrifice the opportunity to hold her once again instead of waiting a day. "Is she…is she alright?" He didn't want to ask about the nightmares or crying. Not yet, anyways.

"She's been asleep. Woke up once earlier in tears, but she seemed to manage fine by putting on a movie."

"Has she eaten anything? Showered?"

"Showered this morning, but hasn't eaten," Ella replied as if she was checking things off on some list that was mentally made up in her mind. "She refuses to move, but I think that's partly because Aria still resents us for pushing you away. I—I'm sorry about that, Ezra. If I had only known…"

"It's alright, Mrs. Montgomery," Ezra said with a slight nod. "Apologies don't matter at the moment. What matters is bringing Aria back. And to be clear, I'm never leaving her again."

Ella nodded solemnly. She knew Ezra meant every single word that was coming out of his mouth. "I'll take you to see Aria."

Leading Ezra up the staircase and towards Aria's oak door, Ella gulped nervously. It was a tender situation; one that if the slightest thing went wrong, both she and Ezra could send Aria flying off the deep end. Her knuckles wrapped at the door and Aria's weak voice tried shooing her mother away.

"I have a visitor. We're coming in."

Pushing back the heavy door, Ezra walked in while Ella lingered in the doorway. His heart sped up at seeing the girl he loved, but also broke simultaneously at seeing her so fragile and broken. Her hair was stuffed into a ponytail holder. A new Hollis shirt adorned her small frame and the TV was deftly playing in the background. Circles were under Aria's eyes and she looked gaunt almost.

"Aria," Ezra said, trying to keep his voice calm. The girl looked up at him from her bed, her heart beating wildly at seeing him standing there.

"Ezra," Aria spoke, her voice cracking as tears rolled down her cheeks and her arms stretched themselves out in wait to receive him.


	3. Chapter 2

**All I have to say is that you guys are amazing! Absolutely amazing! Forty-four reviews on two chapters? That's more than I could possibly wish for! I'm really loving this story, so I'm glad you all are as well!**

**As I said last night, the others will be updated. My week is just extremely hectic.**

**I DON'T OWN ANYTHING.**

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><p><em>~Chapter 2~<em>

Her heart was swelling with emotion the minute his old, worn and torn Converse touched the hardwood floor inside of her room. Aria struggled to hold back the cry that had formed in her throat. Although she managed not to break down into tears, the slight catch as she spoke Ezra's name gave it all away.

With her arms outstretched, she reached towards him, wanting to feel him hold her; to prove this wasn't some dream. Aria was petrified that in a snap, something would contort this all into a nightmare and she'd wake up with empty arms and an even deeper hole in her chest.

"Ezra," she repeated once more, a bit more urgent than the last. He seemed to stand stationary for a moment and it was driving Aria crazy and pushing her towards thinking she was imagining all of this. She had to be; there was no way Ella would ever listen to her and willingly let Ezra into the house. Her mother had taken her father's side in fear of losing him again.

And there was no way Byron would ever let Ezra step through the front door, much less pull his car up the driveway.

Aria's body began to shake and quiver, the task of holding back cries and her emotions becoming painful. It was like taking a stab wound to her chest with a knife positioning itself right over her heart. It was becoming agonizing.

Ezra still stayed in her doorway. From what Aria could see, he looked as if he was trying to hold back emotions himself. That had happened in a dream before, but the minute Ezra had showed her how he felt, blood came pouring from every which way. Aria pushed the memory from her mind and tried locking it away in an imaginary storage bin labeled "Trash".

"Ezra, please," she begged, holding out her arms even wider. Aria was sure she looked like a toddler wanting to be picked up, but that didn't matter. A masochistic part of her wanted to know if this was real or not, despite the torture that could come if it wasn't. "Please come here."

Ezra listened and watched Aria. Her voice was growing weaker each time she pleaded for him to come closer. His arms began to ache was being pinned at his sides; he wasn't even sure why he was still standing there across the room. In any other situation, Ezra would've sprinted right to her.

There were emotions flickering across Aria's face that he hadn't even seen before. Aria was usually full of light and buoyant with a determined and stubborn streak. This Aria made it seem like the strong old Aria was being pulled into a much darker place within herself, leaving a weak, broken down, and vulnerable girl.

And Ezra didn't like it one bit.

Now he knew what she needed him for. Aria needed him to pull everything back together again. It's what they had always done for each other throughout the relationship; piecing everything back together for one another because they loved each other. But this wasn't the regular situation. This was going to be much more difficult, but Ezra was willing to do it. He loved Aria more than his own life, maybe even more.

Ella stood on, watching the young couple barely interact with someone. Part of her was growing irritated at Ezra's reluctance, but another was surprised they weren't clinging to each other within the first five seconds of seeing each other.

Aria let out another soft cry. "Ezra, I need you."

That sent him straight into her awaiting arms. Ezra practically threw himself to his knees into order to not be taller than Aria has he held her tightly. Aria's heart practically burst at the contact. A cold sweat of relief broke out onto her forehead; this wasn't a dream after all. It was real; very, very real.

Ezra held back a small cry, while his hands ran through her hair, trying to comfort them both. He hadn't expected that a simple hug would bring such overwhelming emotion. Her scent wafted through his nostrils. It had always been a mixture of roses, vanilla, and cinnamon and it was always a source of ease for him. Nobody else had it, making it distinctly Aria.

Her tiny hands grasped at his tee shirt, making small fists as she clung to the fabric. Aria held on so hard that the tips of her unpainted fingernails made dents in her palm when they met. The pain was worth it though. Everything was worth it just to have Ezra that close to her again.

A door slam could be heard downstairs followed by a series of grumbles and grunts. Ella bit her lip, knowing there would be hell to pay, but it was better to confront Byron now than have him come upstairs and rip Aria and Ezra from one another. Seeing the two now indicated to Ella that everything she believed about them had been a lie; a trickery. They loved each other. Ezra wasn't and had never been using Aria.

Ella had said she needed time to process, but the processing had been done in the matter of ten slow minutes. Their relationship was a real one, made up of trust and love and respect; more of a foundation than she and Byron had ever had. It was genuine. She also felt a bit proud that for once, she wasn't agreeing with her husband. Ella was prepared to fight for Aria and Ezra's side if the time came. Her daughter's happiness mattered more to her than her own.

"Byron's home," she said quietly. Despite her voice, Aria's bedroom was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop to the floor. "I'll go deal with him."

Ezra looked back from Aria to Ella. A smile played at his lips; one of graciousness. He mouthed a "thank you" in Ella's direction to which she nodded and descended the steps.

After a few more moments of being enraptured in each other's presence, Ezra leaned back from Aria. Her hands grappled in hear at his shirt, not wanting him to go. "Don't leave me," she said quietly, burying her face into his shirt.

"Never again," Ezra replied. "I'm never going to leave you again, Baby. I just need to adjust myself." He stood up from his knees and dusted them off before climbing onto the bed next to her. Aria shifted so that she was lying down with her back pressed against the wall behind her.

Ezra climbed in, staying on top of the covers out of respect for her and wrapped her arms around Aria's tiny waist. Her cheek became flat against his chest, just wanting to hear the beating of Ezra's heart. For Aria, that would be the defining line that this all was real. There was still time for it all to turn to a hellish dream. Who knew what her mind could be coming up with this time?

"Aria," Ezra said. "Look at me, please."

She was never able to withstand his wants, except for when she was angry or stubborn or held her own opinion on the matter. Aria's chin tilted up in Ezra's direction, her eyes searching his for something. The pure blue of his irises made Aria's heart speed up even faster than it already way. Her fingertips traced his jaw, wanting to memorize everything.

"Listen to me," he spoke soothingly, drawing tiny circles on the small of her back. Pressed chest to chest, Ezra kissed Aria's forehead, his lips lingering ever so slightly. "I love you. You're never going to be alone again. Staying away from you isn't an option for me anymore. I don't care if your dad puts up a fight and hollers and yells. I don't even care if Mike throws another punch. I'm going to be here, right here, fighting for you and what we have."

Aria's eyes welled up with tears, but a different type than what had been brewing all week. She nodded her head, unable to speak.

"And whatever is going on inside of you…whatever is broken, I'm going to fix." Ezra's voice ended his mini-speech on a determined and sincere note. He meant everything he had said to her just now. There were more things that he could proclaim, but would save it for when she wasn't so overwhelmed.

Her hands wound themselves around his neck momentarily. Aria sidled up so that they were face to face and pressed her lips against Ezra's softly and chastely before tucking her head into the crook of her neck. That had been her test to figure if this was a fantasy; it wasn't and she knew it the minute Ezra's lips had kissed her back.

For a few minutes, they two laid there in quiet before Ezra turned on a movie. The screen played images and the speakers played music, but Aria was barely paying attention as she tried to hold onto her consciousness. Ezra was perfectly fine and awake, but wanted to will Aria to sleep. A few solid hours and maybe no screaming would do her a world of good.

"Sleep," he said quietly, his hands playing with the loose curls in her hair. It would be a slow road to recovery, but everything had to start someplace.

"No," Aria protested, not wanting to let herself slip into a world where nightmares would plague her mind. She wasn't sure if having Ezra around would make the nightmares stop, or at least decrease them in the horror factor. "I don't want to." A yawn gave way of her lie.

"You need to," Ezra replied softly. One of the hands that had been playing with her hair was now caressing her cheek and jawline. "I'll be right here when you wake up."

"Promise," Aria asked weakly, another yawn escaping her lips.

"Promise."

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><p>Ezra had let himself slip into slumber a few minutes after Aria had let everything go. When she roused with cries, the alarm clock blared bright red numbers stating that it was 4:25 in the morning.<p>

"Ezra," Aria cried, her eyes springing open. Everything was black and not just from the darkness of the room. Her fingers could feel him, but her eyes couldn't even make out his silhouette. "Ezra," she cried a bit louder, her panic becoming clearer. Finally, a round of sobs broke from Aria's mouth which woke him up.

"Aria," Ezra said, wrapping his arms tightly around her. "I'm here. I'm right here beside you. Don't cry, Love."

Aria blinked a couple times, wanting to see past the darkness, but couldn't. "I—I can't see you," she spoke, her voice cracking here and there. Ezra reached over and turned on her bedside lamp, illuminating a small portion of the bedroom.

"Can you see me now," he asked, adjusting his eyes to the light. Aria blinked a few times before seeing him. Ezra's dark hair was tousled from sleep and his pupils were dilated from the new source of light rather than the blackness of her room. Still, it was her Ezra.

One of Aria's hands went up to cup his jaw and bring her face closer to his. Their noses brushed as she nodded her head silently before pressing her lips against his. Aria pulled away with a yawn, still hiccupping from her nightmare in which Ezra hadn't been there when she woke up. Instead, there had been a note from –A stating his disappearance.

"I love you," she spoke weakly before her eyes fluttered to a close. It wasn't until a few moments after when Ezra did the same.


	4. Chapter 3

**I promised another chapter, didn't I? My show is over and done with, so expect more updates. I don't have exactly a clear ending for this story, but I'm formulating ideas. I'll probably ask for some help too. I just refuse to abandon this story! Cracking Aria isn't going to be that easy. **

**The only story I'm having a lot of trouble with is "A Little Romance" due to my Lucian heart being shattered every five seconds. But they start shooting today, so hopefully that sparks something. **

**You all are also amazing with reviews!**

**I OWN NOTHING.**

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><p>"She needs him, Byron." Ella stood at the head of their dining room table where the man was seething over his paperwork. The husband and wife glared across from each other during the late hours of the night. "Whether we like this situation or not, she needs Ezra more than we probably think. And I'm not about to take him away from her."<p>

"You're insane, Ella," Byron said, slamming the ballpoint BIC pen down on the mahogany. "This man took advantage of our daughter, and you're ready to let him 'fix' her? For all we know, he's using this as an excuse to take her back to his apartment and have his wa—"

"Don't. Don't even go there. If you saw the way he practically ran to her when I brought him upstairs, you'd think otherwise. If you had seen the actual light in Aria's eyes; something we haven't seen for days, you'd understand."

"And you think you understand the entirety of their relationship by one moment? There could be several other doors we haven't opened that house secrets of theirs. This could be an act on both their parts."

"The fact that you'd undermine your own child horrifies me." Ella took a deep breath, tears burning in the corner of his eyes. Part of her wondered how he would feel if Meredith's family found out about their fling, but then again, Aria and Ezra didn't seem to be some causal relationship. "He looks at her the same way you used to look at me. Of course, you wouldn't know what it feels like to love deeply anymore, do you?

I want you to accept this, Byron. And you will one way or another. I'm tired of being you chess piece and lackey. It's time I stop letting you further ruin Aria's life by doing what you think is right. Ezra's going to be around a lot more than he ever was. He might even spend the night, like he did the last. He loves our daughter more than I think I've seen anyone love someone, even in films. And you're not going to do anything to tear them apart again."

With wide eyes, Byron looked up at his wife. Clear determination burned in her eyes. She meant everything has said. It took him a moment to regain his composure, eyes blinking furiously. His fingers picked up his pen once more, writing so hard that it could've left a mark in the deep reddish brown wood.

"Don't dent the wood," Ella said, leaving the room. Her feet took her up to Aria's room where the small girl was curled up in blankets and Ezra was sitting in the arm chair he'd moved closer to her bed. A pair of glasses rested on the bridge of his nose; Ella hadn't any idea he wore glasses. Then again, she didn't really know Ezra for who he was. But Aria did.

A million different options on what to do with the lovers ran through her mind. Aria's eyes were closed and she seemed to be sleeping peacefully. Ezra's hand in her limp one didn't go unnoticed; her mother assumed the small form of contact was the reason she was sleeping so soundly. Ezra's thumb seemed to run across Aria's knuckles subconsciously, maybe even naturally. A yawn escaped his lips as he closed to novel and reached to take of his glasses. That was when he spotted Ella, who had just made a decision that could affect not just her daughter's life, but many others.

"Mrs. Montgomery," he said surprised. Ezra stood from the leather chair and brushed off his tattered jeans and tee-shirt, wanting to look as presentable as possible. Tear stains were on his cheeks; he'd shed a few when Aria began to scream from another nightmare. The only thing Ezra wanted most at this point was to help her feel safe again. "I—I can leave if you want me to. I really didn't realize the time."

"No, it's alright, Ezra," Ella spoke calmly, shifting her hands and twiddling with her fingers. "I…I just wanted to say thank you for always being there for Aria. Not just now, but also for all the other times that I didn't know about. You really love her, don't you?"

"I do," Ezra replied earnestly. "What I have with her is the realest thing in my life. Though I'm a bit spiteful that you and your husband tried to take that away from me, and I her, I can't help but be grateful that you're seeing the truth, and not Byron's speculations."

"About my husband," Ella said. Ezra turned around to Aria for a moment, who seemed to be stirring. She hadn't roused herself awake, only simply curled more towards Ezra's standing body.

"He's not exactly the happiest person at the moment. In fact, we just had an argument downstairs and I…I can't believe some of the things he said." Her voice broke off for a moment, but Ella recovered; she'd always been a strong woman. "And I don't think it's safe for you or Aria to be in the house at the moment. I want her to be protected and you clearly do that. But with him ready to explode and possibly go on a massacre, I want her away. W—which is why I'm asking you to let Aria stay with you for a bit; only until things calm down and I get Byron to see the light."

Ezra was practically gaping at the older woman. Not even a month ago, she had wanted him completely erased from Aria's life. Now, she wanted her to live with him. He couldn't argue though; Ezra would gladly whisk Aria away into shelter in minutes.

"If that's what you want," he said cautiously. "I'd be more than happy to take her home. I think I'd have a better chance of cracking her open there."

"I trust you now, Ezra. I think that if she's with you, there's a chance we could get our Aria back."

"I'll start packing her things. And Ella," Ezra added with a smile of pure gratitude. "Thank you for everything."

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><p>Aria began to wake up around two 'o' clock that morning with whimpers escaping her throat. Ezra and Ella had just about packed up majority of those clothes in her dresser and closet. Books would come next. Both had a feeling that Aria would be staying with Ezra longer than a week, maybe even more than a year. Knowing Aria, she'd protest leaving.<p>

"Ezra," she said softly. This was how it always started. She progressed from whispers to screams and could in the matter of minutes. His hands dropped the clothes that he was folding and walked over to her bedside.

"Aria," Ezra said, scooting onto the edge of the mattress. His hands carefully lifted her hand into his lap while his fingers smoothed the hair around her face. "I'm right here."

"Ezra," Aria cried this time, her chest beginning to heave.

"Aria," he spoke, louder this time as if his volume would be a way to reach her. Most times it was. "Aria, focus on my voice. I'm right here beside you. There's nothing to worry about. Just breathe." Ezra's blue eyes trained Aria's face for any sign of relief. Her then furrowed brow seemed to relax and her lip stopped trembling.

Immediately, Aria's eyes flew open. She searched the room frantically. She spotted Ella, packing what looked to be her clothing into cardboard boxes, thus confusing her even more than already. "Mom," Aria spoke shakily. "Where's Ezra? Did…did Dad kick him out?"

"Look up, silly girl," Ezra said, running a thumb over her jawline. "I'm right here. I told you I was and I always will be."

Ella bit her lip, trying not to feel awkward in the presence of young lovers. She decided to brainstorm ways on how to get Byron to see differently while her hands worked nimbly at folding clothes. Ella and Ezra would explain the boxes tomorrow when they moved Aria out while Byron was at work. It would be better and safer that way; he wouldn't be able to rip the boxes open and cause more havoc in what was already a mess.

"Ezra," Aria breathed, throwing her arms around his torso. Tears began to drip down her face as he lifted her up to a sitting position and held her in his lap. "He hurt you," she stuttered in hiccups. "He took a knife from the kitchen and drilled it into your heart. And then you were gone in a puddle of blood."

Ezra's eyes widened as he look to her mother. Getting Aria out would definitely be the best option at this point. She was evidently afraid of what Byron could do to him, although rationally, he would never stoop to murder.

"Aria, he's not going to hurt me or _you_. You're father doesn't have the power over us, especially after tomorrow."

"What's tomorrow?" Her sentences had grown to being only a few syllables at a time; nothing else but a series of short questions and simple answers. Aria herself wished she could say more, but she didn't know what to say about anything anymore. The only things in her mind were the catastrophic events and potentially losing Ezra.

"Tomorrow," Ella interjected, giving Ezra clearance at having to explain what the product of her own thinking process was. "Is when you're going to move in with Ezra. Your dad is prone to exploding at any moment and I don't want you and Ezra here. I want you safe, Aria. Ezra will keep you safe, but do his job better in the safety of his own home. There isn't the threat there like there is here."

"Mom," Aria said, tears streaming down her face. But, for the first time, they were happy. "Thank you," she whispered. "Thank you so much."

"You're always going to be my little girl, regardless of the situation you've gotten yourself into or the people you love. I want what's best for you. Clearly, Ezra is, but staying with him here isn't. We needed to find a happy medium."

Ezra's thumb wiped away the tears on Aria's cheeks. "Don't cry, Love. We're going to be alright, okay? After tomorrow, we're going to be perfectly safe. I found a job writing as a columnist and I can do it from home on my own laptop. We're going to be just fine." He hugged her tightly against him, smoothing out the matted hair at the back of her head. With slight rocking motion, Aria's breathing slowed from short, staggered intakes of air to even breaths.

"We're going to be okay," she repeated, not knowing what else to say. "Do you promise?" Her face peered up from Ezra's chest, hazel eyes still watery.

"With everything I have in me," Ezra replied, kissing her forehead.

With the last of her clothes packed away, Ella took this as her time to leave the room. She didn't want to intrude on their tender moments anymore. "I'm going to sleep," she announced. Aria's eyes had already closed against Ezra, her head tucked into the crook of his neck. Ella smiled as Ezra ran his fingers through Aria's hair. "First thing tomorrow morning once Byron's left, we'll move everything."

"I can't thank you enough, Ella," Ezra said, ready to delve into a speech.

"It's the least I can do," she interjected, once more looking at Aria's sleeping form which was comfortably curled into Ezra. "You protected her all the times I couldn't."

"I'll continue to protect her. I promise both you and Aria that."

"I'll hold you to it," Ella finished, leaving the room with the slight traces of a smile on her face.


	5. Chapter 4

**I don't have much of an author's note today. I mean, I do have some Lucian things I'd like to say, but I'll wait for that when I update "Dear Love" or start the new one. **

**So, here's a new chapter! Enjoy!**

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><p>Wednesday afternoon, the girls and Ella took the afternoon off from school to help move Aria into Ezra's apartment. Byron still didn't have an inkling, but the group wasn't thinking about his reaction; only of Aria's well being. She'd yet to go back to school and had just started to move from her bedroom down to the living room; only so that she and Ezra could watch a movie or two without the confines of her room. It was in her mother and boyfriend's best interest that she had a change of surrounding.<p>

Boxes were packed into the trunk of Spencer's car and the bed of Toby's truck. Spencer had borrowed it from him without much of an explanation. She simply batted her eyelashes and got her way.

Aria watched the activity from the swing on her front porch with tired eyes. She's spent majority of the previous night awake, Ezra rubbing her back to soothe her. Nothing worked though. Her nerves were running high, especially with the move her father wasn't aware of. Not that she considered him all that integral to her life anymore and hadn't for some time.

Emily was carrying two cardboard boxes stacked on top of one another. Spencer was barking orders from the living room at Mike who had taken part in helping his sister. Hanna was watching as Ella loaded the car. Ezra was the only person Aria couldn't seem to locate, but he was standing behind her in the open doorway of the front door.

Ezra watched her broken figure. Aria's elbows were rested upon her knees, propping her face up. He couldn't see her eyes, but Ezra had a feeling they were lifeless as they had been for awhile. It was now up to him to bring back that warmth. He just didn't know how.

"Hey," he said, finally emerging and sitting down next to her. Aria looked up and smiled. It was something genuine this time. There was a certain factor of having fresh air and wearing her favorite dress that made Aria fell a bit better than she had in days. With a sigh, she rested her head against Ezra's shoulder. His arm automatically wrapped around her waist.

"We together are going to be turning over a new leaf." Ezra pecked her forehead. "Think of this as a new adventure. We've always wanted a future together. Now we're getting one; maybe just a bit earlier than expected. And I promise that I'm going to bring you back one way or another."

Aria nodded her head, consequently nuzzling it further into the crook of his neck. "Thank you, Ezra. I don't think I could go through this alone." Those were more words spoken than she'd let out in a week. Ezra's heart lifted; Aria could be making progress.

"I wouldn't let you go it alone," he said, toying with her fingers. Nobody seemed to notice them and vice versa. More often than not, Aria and Ezra were stuck in their own fantasy land where only the two of them existed to one another.

"I love you."

Ezra's heart stopped. He hadn't heard those words from Aria in days. Immediately, tears sprung into his eyes. He let go of her hand to wipe them away, but Aria's beat it first.

"Don't cry," she said, brushing the salty drops away with the pads of her fingertips. "You know I do. And I always will, even if I'm not acting like myself." For the first time in what seemed to be ages, Aria lifted her lips to meet Ezra's, her fingers tracing his jaw line. Kissing him gave Aria ultimate relief and escape from her life at the moment.

"It's been too long," Ezra said once they'd pulled apart, resting his forehead against hers. The porch swing moved lightly in the breeze that ruffled Aria's dress as well.

"Far too long," she agreed. The bubbles lasted for a few minutes more until Spencer came bounding out of the house, shooting them a smirk. Her voice sounded loudly as if she wanted to wake the entire neighborhood.

"Everything's packed, Mrs. Montgomery. Are we ready to go?"

Aria's mother, who's been discreetly watching them from her job at loading boxes into Spencer's car, looked up startled. She'd been admiring how tender Aria and Ezra seemed to be with one another, as well as how for a moment, she could see the old version of her daughter. Ella now instilled trust in the young man to bring her back.

"We're ready on my end. Aria? Ezra? Are you two ready?"

Ezra tugged on Aria's hand and pulled her up from the swing to walk over to his car. "I think we're good."

"Yeah," Aria nodded, placing a slight smile onto her face. "We're ready." She took Ezra's hand and squeezed tightly for both her own reassurance and comfort in the matter.

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><p>Three hours later, everyone had vacated apartment 3B. Aria was sitting on Ezra's large couch staring at the ceiling while Ezra made coffee to serve in his Hollis college mugs. He figured he'd have to get new ones to replace them with considering he didn't work at the local university anymore.<p>

The tiny apartment had always felt like home to her, except this time, Aria was actually living her. Part of her was excited to see how she and Ezra would act around one another with the new occurrences and another part was absolutely petrified. Couples had been known to fall apartment while living together; the figured out that they were incompatible and their habits and quirks got on each other's nerves. Aria didn't want anything like that to happen to herself and Ezra.

There wasn't much to study on Ezra's ceiling, but she needed something constant to focus on than let her mind wander off into oblivion. It was painted over in the same smooth blue color his walls were. Ezra seemed to have changed a few things around in preparation for her arrival. There was a new poster over their bed. He reorganized a few shelves to make room for her books and such. Aria thought this was preliminary, but little did she know Ezra had done it all on his own free will. He wanted her to be as comfortable in her new home as possible.

Ezra had been watching Aria since they moved in. There were slight traces of a smile on her face every so often as things were being put away. He knew she was excited to be living with him, and likewise for himself. But now, she seemed to shut down again. At this point, he wasn't sure what he could do except get her to talk to him about everything. Not yet though. Ezra would wait for the right time. His only goal now was bringing back that smile.

"Do you want creamer in your coffee?" His voice broke the silence of the apartment, minus the buzzing of the TV playing in the corner.

"Yes, please," Aria replied, sitting up against the arm rest of the couch. "With two sugars. You know how I take it."

"Never with milk," Ezra said, a slightly amused expression playing at his lips.

"_Never_ with milk." Aria giggled faintly, which caused Ezra's ears to literally perk up in the air, straining to hear the sound again. It was all too small, but audible. Ezra's eyes prickled and an even wider grin came over his lips. It lasted until Aria shifted back to staring at the ceiling; he'd lost her again.

The ding on the coffee pot let him know that the hot drink was ready. Ezra poured the dark stuff into the two mugs and went to work on mixing them to his and Aria's likings. Finally, he clambered over to the couch and handed her the designated mug.

"Creamer and two sugars. I used Splenda is that's alright."

"It's fine," Aria replied, taking the mug between her hands and let it warm them graciously. Her body was feeing entirely too cold lately. She reached over to take the afghan blanket and wrap it around her shoulders.

"Aria, it's March. Why are you wrapping a heavy blanket around yourself?"

"I'm cold," she said, curling deeper into the comforts of the blanket. "It's chilly."

"Not really," Ezra spoke, his brow furrowing. She could possibly be sick. _What a way to start off living together_, he thought wryly. Ezra pressed his lips against Aria's forehead in order to check her temperature. She wasn't warm; he'd check again later if signs of a fever or the flu progressed. "You're not warm, so you don't have a fever."

"I'm not sick, Ezra," Aria stated, looking at him while taking a sip of her coffee. "Just cold. The window is blowing a breeze and its freezing. Would you mind shutting the window?"

"Of course," he replied. With his free hand that wasn't holding his coffee mug, Ezra cupped the side of Aria's face for a second and held her gaze before kissing her quickly. Aria responded eagerly, trying to keep him down on the couch. It seemed as though with one kiss, the real Aria came back.

Almost like "Sleeping Beauty" except Ezra wasn't trying to awaken Aria from some deep slumber. He was trying to awake her from the current state she seemed to be stuck in.

* * *

><p>Bed time was a completely different matter. There was something significantly different about going to bed together knowing it would be that way for many nights rather than their occasional sleepovers. Ezra had already climbed into bed. He had a pair of reading glasses perched on the bridge of his nose, book in hand.<p>

Aria stood across from the bed, fiddling with the hem of the Hollis tee shirt she picked to wear to bed. When they had made love, it hadn't been this awkward. In fact, gliding into his bed in a rouse of kisses felt highly natural. But knowing that they'd be sleeping beside one another each night scared Aria. What if she began to scream again? What if she kicked him? What if he'd rather sleep on the couch after a fight? It was mundane things like that that ran around in her head.

Ezra was ready for the next step. Not wanting to pressure Aria, he continued to read his book and refrain from looking over at her. She's climb into bed in due time when she was comfortable. Clearly, she was unsure of what to do. They'd shared a bed before, but never had it been this permanent.

It took a few moments before Ezra couldn't stand the awkward silence. "Are you coming? If you're not comfortable, you can sleep on the couch."

"No," Aria said, taking a deep breath. "I'm coming." Easily, she climbed into his, now their bed. Once her back hit the mattress, she felt completely at ease. Emitting a sigh, she smiled. "I missed this."

Ezra beamed; she'd smiled more today than she had in weeks. His thumb ran across her jaw line in a slow line before massaging small circles at the point where he stopped. Aria's hair was splayed over the pillow as she closed her eyes. Her lips parted slightly as sleep began to take its gripping hold over her body.

"I missed having you here," he said, cupping her cheek. "The last time you were here…"

"Was…yeah, I remember." Aria bit her lip and blushed.

"I wouldn't have changed that night for the world."

"Me either."

Curling inwards, Aria's body molded against Ezra's shirtless form. Her head rested against his chest, right over his heart. It beat normally, the thump just barely audible. "I love you, Ezra," she said quietly, while yawning.

"I love you more, Aria." By the time he replied, she'd fallen asleep. "More than you'll ever know."


	6. Chapter 6

**This is pretty much a filler chapter, but I know you guys were waiting for something. Next up will probably be a little visit from Ella with warning news about Byron. I'm not sure. I just wanted to give something to hold you all over.**

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><p>Living together hadn't been as easy as Aria and Ezra thought it would be. While they did spend copious amounts of time together, rising and lying together was a totally different matter. They were running into simple couple troubles, such as forgetting to put down the toilet seat and cleaning her long hair from the shower drain. Little things like that, but they seemed to mean the world.<p>

Slowly though, Aria was opening up. In Ezra's eyes, she was a rose; blossoming at a daunting pace. Never the less, when she laughed heartily or cracked a genuine smile, his hopes of her coming back to him sooner than later were heightened.

One day, she made a joke; just a smile quick quip, but a joke none the less. The giggle that flowed through Aria's mouth made Ezra's heart thump wildly. She wasn't as broken as he assumed, but the damage was still detrimental.

The nights were the worst. She'd wake up screaming and crying from a nightmare and end up awake for the rest of the night, curled tightly into a ball. After speaking with Ella, Ezra figured it would a good idea to send her to Dr. Sullivan. Aria had reluctantly agreed, wanting to be able to sleep again. Except, she only agreed on the terms that she'd go to the therapist after she went back to school, which was a whole other problem in itself.

The school had granted the girls a certain amount of time to stay home and recover after finding the dead body and capturing Mona, but Aria had gone over that slight vacation. Emily, Hanna, and Spencer were all back at school and she was staying huddled up with Ezra.

Not that Ezra minded spending day in and day out writing with Aria curled up at his side on the couch. But, she needed her education.

"I don't understand why you're putting off going to school. It's not going to be terrible," he said one Saturday afternoon. Aria, per usual, was lying on the couch. Except today, she had a book in her hands, eyes scanning over pages. Aria wasn't taking in the words in the book; she just wanted to distract herself.

"Because I can't."

"What do you mean, you can't? It's just school."

"I don't want to face anybody. _I can't_ face anybody."

"Aria," Ezra sighed, putting down the mug he was going to use for another cup of coffee. He walked over to the couch and sat down, pulling her hands into his and resting them in his lap. "You can't hide forever. Look at Mona; granted you've only told me bits and pieces rather than the whole story, but see what happened? She got caught. While it's not the same situation, the saying still goes. People will start questioning why you're not at school and force you to go. It's better to be there on your own will than to avoid it and have people make you."

"God, Ezra," Aria sighed, a storm brewing up in her. "I hate it when you do this."

"Do what," he challenged, quirking an eyebrow. From common knowledge, he hadn't done anything except give her advice. Was there and issue for doing so?

"Treat me like a child! Baby me! I'm practically seventeen now. I don't need you or anyone to make decisions for me."

"Seriously? I'm not babying you at all. I'm just trying to help. Isn't that what you wanted me for while you're like this? To help you?"

"I don't really want you at all at the moment. Just…leave me alone." Aria groaned, leaning back on the couch to take up her book once more.

"Fine. If that's what you want." Ezra was fuming as he picked up a few papers and shuffled them into a neat stack. "I have to take these over to the newspaper anyways. Have fun being alone."

Aria bit her lip as he walked out and slammed the door. What had she done?

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><p>Ezra had gone back an hour later that afternoon, but the two weren't speaking. Still angry at one another and a bit ashamed, they didn't want to speak. But, the hours ticked on. Aria ate her left over Chinese food on the couch while Ezra ate in the kitchen. She showered and did things on her own accord, climbing into bed around eleven.<p>

He settled down in sweats with his laptop the same time she shut the overhanging light off near the bed. Aria bit her lip while tears welled up in her eyes. She hadn't meant to start an argument; she shouldn't have opened her mouth at all. But, without Ezra next to her, she couldn't sleep.

A small whimper escaped her lips and traveled over to Ezra's ears. His heart lurched, knowing this time it wasn't any memory that was making her cry, but his stubbornness and their arguing. Ezra wasn't mad at her anymore anyways; only at himself for letting the cold shoulder treatment last so long. He sighed with resolve and turned off his laptop so it wouldn't overheat itself and walked over to the bed.

They always said never to sleep angry.

Pulling back the covers, he slid in next to her. Aria felt the weight of the bed shift and smiled through the silent tears running down her cheeks; the storm was over. Or at least, she hoped it was. Ezra hadn't wrapped his arms around her yet. Seconds ticked by until they turned into minutes. Aria had given up hope, but Ezra's arm snaked around her waist and pulled her closely against his chest.

Her head rested on the spot just above his heart to listen to the drumming against his rib cage. That always seemed to lull her to sleep or a point of relaxation.

"I'm sorry," Aria whispered into the dark room, her head buried into the fabric of Ezra's tee shirt. His hand brushed through her hair soothingly, massaging her scalp here and there.

"It's alright, Ar. We both were wrong. But all is forgiven. Just sleep." The arm wrapped around her waist pulled Aria up so he could press his lips against her forehead. With his gentle kiss, Aria knew everything would be okay.

"I love you."

"I love you too. Now get some sleep."

Hopefully, Aria wouldn't have any nightmares tonight. Ezra could only hope and pray.


	7. Chapter 7

**Gah! This was totally overdue, but here it is! A brand new chapter for my lovely readers. I DON'T OWN ANYTHING.**

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><p>Early Saturday morning, Ezra had been called in at an ungodly hour at the newspaper for a crisis on the latest edition. He rose, rubbing his eyes to clear the fogginess that was his vision. Aria was curled up underneath the thin throw blanket that they used for the warm month of May, facing him. Her lips were parted and thing breathing escaped them; thin, even breathing. She had slept soundly throughout the night, which was a relief. Ezra was reluctant to leave such a sleeping beauty on their day of relaxation, but duty called.<p>

He showered, letting the scalding water wake him up. Unlike most people, Ezra didn't like lukewarm or medium temperature water. The ice hot degrees loosened up his muscles and the steam made his tiny bathroom like a relaxing sauna. Aria never understood why he was so partial to it, but Ezra hadn't a clue either. He scrubbed his body down with body wash. The scent of his shampoo filled his nostrils, relaxing him. Simple things like that were his releases.

With water droplets hanging off his damp body, Ezra pulled himself into the old, dark gray robe he'd had for years since his days at Hollis and exited the bathroom, steam rolling every which way from the open door. His still tired blue eyed gaze wandered over to the bed. Aria continued to sleep soundly. Ezra didn't blame her though; she hadn't gotten much down time with the nightmares.

The daily routine continued with dressing in a button down and a pair of slacks. He didn't need to have such elaborate attire like that of a teacher, but it still felt nice to get dressed up, rather than typing away at his laptop in sweats. Ezra was allowed to work at home, in fact, it was encouraged so he'd gain inspiration.

Once ready, he ambled back over to the bed and climbed on. His knees sank into the mattress, causing there to be a dent from his weight. Aria stirred, but only to wrap the covers around her tightly. Ezra chuckled and the grin forming on her lips from whatever dream she was having and pecked her forehead before leaving a tiny written note for her on his pillow and heading out.

The newspaper had been fairly gracious to Ezra. At most, he was glad he worked there. It was flexible hours and something he had a passion for, which didn't hurt in the least bit. Yes, he missed teaching, but the building wasn't too far from his apartment and he could be home with Aria whenever possible. His time wasn't taken up grading papers and forming lessons plans. Perhaps his firing from Hollis was a blessing in disguise.

Ezra pushed back the doors to the office he had been called into. The head editor sat at his desk, filling out a few papers. He too was dressed casually for the weekend. Obviously, he hadn't expected having to call everyone in for a quick meeting that morning.

"Ezra," he greeted warmly. The younger man wasn't nervous, only curious as to what was going on. Ezra rubbed the back of his next and tried to suppress a yawn in front of his boss. "How're you?"

"Just fine, Michael," he replied. "Although I'm not sure why you called me here."

"Right," said the older man. His fingers traveled to pick up a stack of papers. If he had called Ezra in and broken his sleepy stupor for more work that needed to be done over the week, Ezra would throw a fit. But once the papers were revealed, they were applications. "I know it's only been a few weeks that you've worked here, but you show great potential. So much in fact, I've been considering moving you up to the New York branch of the paper."

Ezra wasn't like most people. While most would jump for joy at such an opportunity, he stood, staring blankly at Michael. Ezra wasn't in shock, but couldn't find the right words to say. "It's you decision entirely," Michael continued. "But a great experience none the less."

If he had been alone, Ezra would've taken the job the minute the words flowed from the other man's mouth. He would've bought a tiny studio apartment in the Upper West Side in the matter of minutes and moved. But, Ezra had Aria to think about and she was more of a priority than anything. She was his world; what his life willingly centered around. Ezra did dream about what life would be like in the great city with Aria by his side, but this wasn't an option he could jump at and say yes. Things needed to be taken into consideration.

"I don't know what to say, Sir," Ezra stammered. He rubbed the back of his neck again out of nervous habit. Different scenarios ran around in his mind, each with Aria by his side. But, she was still in high school. If they went, he'd have to enroll her somewhere or she'd have to take online classes. Aria did love New York and had been tampering with applying to NYU. But there was also consent from Ella and what Aria did have to say about the ordeal. Part of Ezra knew she'd go wherever he did. "It's something I'll have to think about."

A lump formed in Ezra's throat, but he pushed it down. Michael simply nodded. "The position wouldn't start until mid-June so you have time to decide. Think it over."

"Will that be all?" His finger toyed scarcely at the iridescent buttons on his shirt.

"That's it," his boss replied. "I'll see you Monday."

Ezra simply nodded and fled the room like a bat out of hell. Would he tell Aria right away? Or wait? She'd want to know as soon as possible. Especially if it was bothering him, Aria could pick up on Ezra's emotions in the snap of a finger. His satchel slammed against his dress pant leg as he walked as fast as possible back to the apartment building. Ezra just wanted to curl back up and mull over his options.

When he closed the door to his apartment lightly and set down his satchel, Aria's nimble fingers were picking up the dainty piece of paper with his note written on it. She smiled and went to go lay down again when he wide eyed glance caught him. Aria's smile grew wider now at seeing Ezra in the doorway. He slid off his socks and shoes before changing back into his comfy sweats. He missed them instantly.

"Hey you," she spoke. Even in the morning light, Aria was radiant. Her skin glowed with a fresh light and her eyes gleamed. Of course, that was probable because of the sleep she'd gotten the night before. Her pink lips continued to smile as Ezra pulled her close to his chest. Sunlight streamed over them, sending a warm, tingling feeling. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah," Ezra said, combing his fingers through Aria's flaxen chocolate locks. They were always curly when she woke up from sleep having been set all night. His mind toyed with keeping the promotion to himself for a bit or telling her on the spot. From previous experience, keeping things from Aria never turned out to be fruitful when Ezra was only trying to protect her. "I was offered a promotion."

"Really," Aria marveled, settling so that her chin was propped up onto his chest. "What did you say? Did you say yes? You don't seem thrilled about it."

"It's in New York." The room went silent. Aria simply stared at him, trying to read Ezra's expressions. They were a mix of confusion and being torn. It was easy for her to see he wanted to take it, but there were other things to think about. "Starts mid-June."

"I'd be out of school," she murmured, the gears turning in her otherwise cloudy head. "Just enough time to enroll in a school in the city." Aria refused to leave Ezra's side. Without him, she couldn't start again. If he went to New York, she'd go with him.

"Aria, there's so many complications." Despite his chiding tone, Ezra rubbed small, soothing circles on her back. Aria wouldn't have any of his excuses though. What was there to be complicated? It was either they go to New York or they don't. "I don't want to leave you." She bit down on her lip, trying to think of ways to convince him.

Ezra always did everything imaginable under the sun to make her happy. He put in nothing but effort. Sometimes, it made her feel a bit selfish. Aria never got the chance to anything in return for him because of all the drama and turmoil surrounding her life. This was her chance. Perhaps it was also a way for them to start over. A new city, a new life for them both as one solid unit. _Screw seeing a therapist, _she thought. _I just need to get the hell out of Rosewood._

"You wouldn't be leaving me," Aria spoke, carefully choosing her words. "I'd be going with you." Ezra opened his mouth to protest, but she silenced him with a sweet kiss upon his lips. "Listen to me; it would be a way to start fresh. Maybe this is what I need as well. You need to take this opportunity and I need a life that isn't in Rosewood. We can do this, Ez."

He continued to tamper with his hair, braiding a few strands together messily. Aria always loved having her hair played with or brushed. She hummed lightly, waiting for Ezra's answer. His mind was whirring though. Aria was determined, if not more, to tag along. Ezra wasn't one to stop her. She was his air. Maybe she was right; maybe this was what they needed to make a step toward progress from her nightmares and his career. "We'll talk about it to your mother tomorrow. We'll go out to lunch."

Aria smiled, glad she won this round. Comfort would be an understatement for what she felt. In some ways, Aria felt relieved that there was a possibility she could start a brand new life with Ezra, rather than be separated like the always were for work. She needed him now more than ever and they both were well aware of that fact.

Her body snaked up his to press a tender kiss against his lips. It was one of gratitude and thanks for giving her such an opportunity as well as letting him grant himself such potential. Aria's fingers toyed lightly with the tiny curls at the nape of his neck while Ezra's hands ran up and down the sides of her body, feeling her curves that she seemed to gain over the year. He smiled against her lips while his hands settled on her hips. Aria careened herself so that she was straddling Ezra now. Her neck was craned downwards to meet his lip, hands now on his shoulders. Both their breathing became labored, having to pull away to gasp for air.

"I love you," he whispered softly into the morning air. The clock across the wall read nine in the morning, still too early for them both on a Saturday morning. His arms wrapped tightly around her, bringing Aria down to a laying position on stop of his chest. She pressed her lips against his tee shirt and sighed contently.

"I love you too," she replied, looking up at him with wide eyes. Ezra kissed her forehead and for once, Aria was sure things would be okay.

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><p><strong>So tell me; would you like to see them start a brand new life in New York? I've been toying with the idea and I love the vision of Aria and Ezra in a tiny apartment overlooking Midtown or cooking in a little kitchenette. Let me know! <strong>


	8. Chapter 8

**So this is a tiny chapter…more like a filler. But I wanted to give you something before my jam packed weekend. I'm still somewhat plotting the story out, so any ideas would be greatly appreciated! **

**Please review! The more you do, the more I write. If I get over ten reviews on the chapter, I promise to write one that's over two thousand words, okay? It'll be nice and long!**

**Happy June to all! And get excited because Ezria is coming back in the matter of four days!**

**I own nothing.**

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><p>"We'll be fine, Mom. I promise." Aria drummed her brightly lacquered fingernails against a cardboard box; the final one that sat in Ezra's apartment. Time had already flown by month by month. School was out and summer was starting to kick in around Rosewood. Around the end of May had been when Ezra and Aria decided to move and have him take the job. She enrolled in a private school a couple of blocks from their new apartment. While she'd miss her friends, it was understandable that she needed to start fresh. Things with Byron had yet to be resolved, but that hadn't crossed the young girl's mind yet. She was doing her best not to think of what could be and pushed her mind to think of what will be.<p>

In the hot summer heat of June, Ezra pushed back the sleeves of his light cotton button down. He'd been the one predominantly moving boxes out to the truck they'd rented, since Aria claimed she was far too small to handle such giant objects. His blue eyes shifted to where she sat on the couch they'd be leaving behind for the new tenants who'd be renting the apartment. Aria had been laughing and smiling more often, a happy sight for him to see rather than the mess she'd been in months previous. Ezra knew it was because they'd be emerging from the proclaimed hell hole of Rosewood.

Aria giggled at her mother's worried tone; Ella had been a frantic mess since Ezra and Aria announced their plans. Still, the older woman knew he'd take good care of her daughter. "Everything's settled and the truck it outside. New York isn't that far and you're more than welcome to visit." The mother and daughter pair had said their goodbyes the day before at a large lunch with Mike, Ezra, and the girls. Hanna had made everyone bring gifts to christen their new apartment and plans were made for Spencer, Hanna, and Emily to visit during summer vacation. "I love you too, Mom," Aria smiled. "I promise to call once we hit the state line if I haven't fallen asleep."

Upon hanging up the phone, Aria sighed and rested her head on the back of the couch. "Are you going to miss it?" She casually looking up to Ezra, sliding her phone between her fingers. She was still dealing with nightmares, although not as terrible as before. The bags under her eyes were going away, but Aria was still the epitome of exhaustion.

"Miss what? Rosewood? I guess in a way, I will. It's where we first met." Ezra grinned, picking up the box and pecked Aria's lips. "But we'll have something much better in New York; something safer too." Aria gulped, nodding. She'd yet to tell him the full story about –A. Only bits and pieces, but Ezra had a right to know; didn't he?

"I'll miss my roots." Aria smiled at Ezra, tipping her head up to meet his eyes. "But I won't miss the town. Too much has happened for me to love it." Ezra nodded, understanding where she was coming from. His fingers brushed underneath her chin, a smile forming on his lips.

"I'm going to put this in the truck and we'll be on our way." He hefted the box upwards to get a better a better grip on the cardboard. Aria got up to open the apartment door that had shut from the powerful fans they had on to keep the apartment cool. They hadn't seen the logic in keeping the air conditioner on when they'd be moving soon.

"I'll just go down with you." Aria grabbed her bag, the only thing of her possessions left in the apartment. It had been sitting on the end table by the door. The couple took one last look around the apartment that held so many memories for them, but where fully aware of how much more the studio in the Upper West Side could hold far more.

"Goodbye," Aria whispered, linking her arm with Ezra's. He smiled and nodded his goodbye to the apartment before leaning down to kiss Aria. With a final wave on Aria's part, the door was shut to their old life as they went to open up the new chapter in New York.

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><p>The drive to New York was only three hours, but they'd left late. Aria was playing around with the music on her iPhone while Ezra kept his weary eyes on the road. He'd sold his tiny silver car as there wasn't much need for it in a busy city like New York. A song pumped through the speakers sitting on Aria's lap. Unfortunately, in the moving van, there wasn't a built in system for her to play her music.<p>

"You getting tired?" She let out a slight laugh as Ezra looked about ready to nod off. He didn't answer, knowing if he talked about how tired he really was, he'd fall asleep at the wheel and that wouldn't prove to be much help as he and Aria would end up in critical condition. "Don't worry," Aria replied, taking his lack of an answer as confirmation. "We have a half an hour left. Then all we need to do is put in the mattress and crash."

"I hope you're not off in your calculations," Ezra chuckled as the song became louder. Aria was starting to choose high energy songs to keep him awake, rather than the calming sounds of Ray LaMontagne that she'd been letting run only minutes earlier. "We should've left earlier. Why did we leave this late again?"

"Because we wanted to see the lights as we drove in?" Aria laughed, running a hand through her dark hair that was now tied into a loose ponytail behind her head. The curls were tossed over her shoulder as she leaned against the head rest. "Maybe that wasn't such a good idea."

"A half an hour left," Ezra murmured, continuing to drive. Aria's calculations had been off, but luckily in a better way. It took no more than fifteen minutes to emerge into the city. She had her face pressed against the glass of the window in amazement; it had been ages since she'd been in the city. Ezra smiled at the place he called home and at his girlfriend. "Welcome home," he said with a smile in his voice.

And extra half an hour tacked on while they attempted to find their apartment and park the van on the edge of the road. Ezra forget how tightly cramped things could be in the city. He'd spent far too long in the suburb of Rosewood. Five minutes was how long it took to move the mattress through the entrance and up the stairs, seeing as it was too big to fit into the elevator. After making sure that the van was locked, Ezra practically collapsed onto the large mattress.

Aria giggled, lying down beside him. The curtains had been yet to put up and through their window were the gorgeous lights of New York City at midnight. She snuggled up to his chest, not needing a blanket in the hot summer heat, Ezra clad in his boxers and Aria in her camisole and underwear.

"Thank you," she whispered to the already passed out Ezra and kissed his bare chest.


End file.
